The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-23
WINTER PERILS IN THE WEST
a Number of Deaths and Great Suffering
in Portions of Kansas and Nebraska,
Caused by the Severe Weather and Lack of
Fuel-Strenuous and Successful Efforts to
Furnish Necessary Supplies of Coal.

TOPEKA, Kan, Dec. 22-Mr. J. R. Hazeltine
banker of johnson City, on the frontier, is in
the city. He reports thar a farmer named L. c.
Clark, living near Golden, Grant county, left
his family at home, Monday, to 20 to Harland,
the nearest railroad point, for the purpose of
getting coal. his family being entirely without
fuel. He left Hariand late Monday evening
with his coal, and the next morning was found
about six miles from home. lying by the side of
his horses, frozen stiff. The animals were also
frozen, and all Of the bodies were partly covered
by snow. Clark's wife and three children had
in tho meantime nearly persisted, and had only
saved themselves from death by leaving their
shell of house and taking refnge from the
blizzard in a cave.
Two deaths are reported from Greeley county.
situated on the Colorado line. A brother and
sister named Robert aud Sarah Holseapsel who
lived on claim in an unsettled portion of the
county. found themselves without fuel Sunday
evening. They tore down a small shed to burn
the lumber, and that night all but the small
amount which they themselves had burned was
stolen from them. Early in the morning the
young man went to the town of Horace, about
seven miles distant, and succeeded in getting
200 pounds Of coal late in the afternoon. Being
obliged to travel against the wind, he did not
numb. and he was exhausted that it was with
great difficulty he gained admission to the house.
He found his sister stiff and inssnsible She
had been without fire all day, an6. the poorly
built house afforded her little protection. AL
though the young man was almost frozen him.
self he tried to revive his sister, but to no avail
The other death reported from Greeley county
is that of a farmer sixty years old, whose name
cannot be learned. He lived alone, and was not
only without fuel, but without food. Being a
recent settler in the county, he had no acquaint-
ances
widow, named Mrs Reilly. and her two lit
tie children, persisted in the storm of Monday
night, in Lane county. They were without
fuel, and the storm came suddenly upon them
that they were unable to get it. The woman's old.
est son started out to get coal. He was overcome
by the intense cold, but fortunately wandered to
the house of neighbor. He was unable to
speak, and his arms. feet and ears were frozen.
By strenuous efforts his life was saved, although
he will probably lose his feet
There are also reports of great suffering in
Clark county, on the Indian Territory line. A
family OF four were travelling overland. and be-
ing but ten miles from home and several miles
from any other house, determined to reach home
that night in spite of the terrible storm. The
horses were overcome, and the family
obliged to abandon the horses and wagon, and
walk miles TO the nearest house. A two-year-old
child froze to death in it's fathers arms before
house badly frozen
The condition of the people in western and
southwestern Kansas Is very bad. This part OF
the State has only recently been settled, and
some of the counties still unoreanized.
Nearly all the people settled on government
claims and were without money, depending
tirely upon the crop to be raised this fall. Tho
crop. however was total failure, because of
drought. leaving the people. a general thing
destitute. The majority of the people live iu
rudely- built houses. which afford very little pro-
lection.
LINCOLN. Neb.. Dec 22.-It is believed that
the reports of the blizzard sweeping over wes-
tern Nebraska will show that a number OF lives
we're lost in the storm. Owing to the distance 7
from the railroad OF the new and more unpro-
tected homesteads and settlers, the facts can
not be known for several days In the recently
organized county of Perkins, the death of man
and boy is reported. They were attem pting to
reach their ranch. twenty miles from Ogallala,
when the storm overpowered them Both were
frozen to death. Another man, named John
Grant, who had been railroad construction
work on the Black Hills extension of the Bur
lington & Missouri River road found dead
a mile out from camp. On the Kansas line no
dead have been discovered. although the suffer
ing IS reported as severe.